1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorption heat pump, and more particularly, to an absorption heat pump suitable for cooling and/or heating by using outside air as a radiation source and an absorption source.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 4 illustrates a well-known type of absorption heat pump for cooling and heating the inside of the room by using outside air as a radiation source and an absorption source This heat pump is constituted by a regenerator 100, a four-way valve 102, outside air coils 104 and 106, a heat exchanger 108, room coils 110 and 112, three-way valves 114, 116 and 118, and a pump 120.
In the heat pump shown in FIG. 4, the outside air coil 104, the outside air coil 106 and the room coil 110 are used as a condenser, an absorber and an evaporator, respectively, in cooling, and the room coil 112 is not used. A solution flows on a course linking the regenerator 100, the three-way valve 114, the outside air coil 106, the three-way valve 118, the pump 120 and the regenerator 100, and refrigerant is generated in the regenerator 100, passes the four-way valve 102, the outside air coil 104, the heat exchanger 108, the room coil 110, the four-way valve 102, the heat exchanger 108 and the three-way valve 116, and is absorbed by the outside air coil 106.
On the other hand, in heating, the outside air coil 104, the room coil 110 and the room coil 112 are used as an evaporator, a condenser and an absorber, respectively, and the outside air coil 106 is not used. The solution passes on a course linking the regenerator 100, the three-way valve 114, the room coil 112, the three-way valve 118, the pump 120 and the regenerator 100, and the refrigerant flows on a course linking the regenerator 100, the four-way valve 102, the room coil 110, the heat exchanger 108, the outside air coil 104, the four-way coil 102, the heat exchanger 108, the three-way valve 116 and the room coil 112.
Thus, the heat pump shown in FIG. 4 uses the outside air coils 104 and 106 and the room coils 110 and 112 in different ways in cooling and heating, and can perform heating and cooling by switching the three-way valves 114, 116 and 118 and the four-way valve 102.
However, since the heat pump shown in FIG. 4 contains a heat exchanger which is unnecessary for a cooling cycle and a heat exchanger which is unnecessary for a heating cycle, the number of its components and its volume, weight and cost are large, and therefore, it is difficult to make the heat pump compact.